I've had to machine the outside diameter of a socket on occasion to make it fit inside a pinion yoke. Snap-on makes some thinwall sockets for such applications, but it's simpler, and less expensive to chuck a Taiwan-made socket in a lathe and take a little off the OD to get some clearance. Make sure all the crud and road dirt is cleaned out around the nut- - - -sometimes there's enough dirt built up inside the yoke to keep the socket from fitting. I assume you've removed the cotter pin from the castle nut, if it has one installed? Sometimes a leaky pinion seal is a symptom of worn bearings, allowing the yoke to wobble up and down in the seal. Before you go to the effort of replacing the seal, tighten the pinion nut pretty snug, and see if you can feel any roughness in the bearings as you turn the yoke. It might be necessary to dig a little deeper to cure the problem.
Jerry


Last edited by Hotrod Lincoln; 06/07/2010 3:54 PM.
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